Artfully Elegant — Handmade Jewelry & Handcrafted Gifts

Artfully Elegant has carried the work of Alex Sepkus for almost a year now and yet each time I look at one of his rings, I discover something new in their pattern and design. A native of Vilnius, Lithuania, Alex received his graduate degree in industrial design from the Lithuanian Academy of Arts. His studies included interiors, glass making sculpture, etchings and graphics, but his graduate study was in jewelry design. While Alex’s jewelry is beautiful to the naked eye, it becomes even more intricate when viewed under a magnifying glass. Each section of his jewelry has its own texture and pattern. With a strong respect for precision and balance, Alex developed a great passion for the intricacies of his craft, creating jewelry unlike any other. Alex’s organic shapes feature diamonds along with many semi-precious stones. We currently have a great selection of rings, along with a pair of earrings and 2 gorgeous pendants. I’m in love with ring 113D. We can also get any of his other designs, so if you’ve seen another style elsewhere, then just let us know and we’d be happy to find out more information for you.

Mother’s Day is May 9th – only 2 and a half weeks away. Get your mom something she’ll cherish forever, like a handmade piece of jewelry or pottery. Check out the suggestions below, as well as our Gift Ideas page for more recommendations. Figs and Ginger offers a a variety of their family necklaces in many different versions. Try the Fawn versions or the complete bird family, which features both the mom and dad birds along with the babies. As always, all of the family necklaces are available with your choice of 1, 2, 3, or 4 children. ZPots has a bunch of great gift ideas for the mom in your life, like one of their cups. Available in New Day, Joy, Healing, and Love, these cups are all food and dishwasher safe. Or you can show your mom how much you love her with the Big Bucket of Love.

We’ve got some new engagement rings and bands in from perennial Artfully Elegant favorite Todd Reed. As always, these could also be worn as a right hand ring. We have a brand new ring 703 in stock. Featuring a gorgeous 2.05 carat deep yellow stone, this ring is a showstopper and conversation piece. The diamond is set in 18k yellow gold and set on a palladium band with raw cubes. Ring 703 allows you to get the best of everything Todd has to offer in his jewelry – a fabulous center stone, yellow gold, palladium, and his signature raw cubes. Let me tell you, this ring looks wonderful on and would make a wonderful unique engagement ring for the right person. Like all of Todd’s rings, it’s customizable to your specifications, so if you wanted a different stone or a yellow gold band, it’s all possible. Todd is also exploring more with palladium, instead of his normal 18 karat yellow gold settings. He is also introducing raised bezels, allowing a perfect fit for a wedding band. The set pictured at right is one of our newest from Todd. Ring 480 pd features a 1.25ct gray, brilliant cut center diamond surrounded by white brilliant diamonds on the bezel, all set in palladium. The 400-HB band in palladium is set with Todd’s signature raw cubes of diamonds around one half of the band and brilliant cut white diamonds around the other half. The 400-HB band is a great option for bands because it gives you 3 different looks in one ring, depending on which way you wear it. You can have all the raw cubes showing, all the brilliants showing, or show half and half for a completely different look. The 480 pd ring comes in a variety of stone sizes and colors, so please don’t hesitate to contact us if you’re looking for something particular.

Robindira Unsworth was founded by husband and wife team Robert and Robindira Unsworth in 2001. Based out of Petaluma, California all their jewelry is handmade with care. Inspired by Turkish bazaars and Moroccan markets, their jewelry has an exotic, yet accessible feel to it. We will be featuring a few of their long layering necklaces, in oxidized sterling silver and 22K gold vermeil. We are also very excited to carry their 3 strand gold necklace, pictured at left, featured on the cover of the 2009 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue. We’ll also be featuring some of their delicate hoop earrings in mixed metals, like glass and turquoise, along with gold vermeil. Robindira’s work is of the utmost quality and is the perfect accessory to any wardrobe.

As Artfully Elegant continues to grow, so does our commitment to being environmentally and socially conscious. We continue to expand our collection of jewelry that is committed to this goal as much as we are. We have long been fans of Figs and Ginger (their Elliot Necklace is pictured at right) here at AE and they are one of the shining examples of a business that attempts to be “green” in every facet of their lives. From their use of at least 50% recycled silver in each and every one of their pieces, to their commitments in their office to reduce paper, recycle and so much more, they are an excellent example of what many people aspire to become. With new additions coming soon to the website like Everyday Artifact, artist Jeff Ryan’s company based out of Santa Fe, New Mexico, we continue to expand. Each piece is handcrafted by Jeff himself, and as he himself says, “All of the materials used are gentle to the planet. Remember, we live where we work.” The idea of living where we work is an important idea to keep in the forefront of all our minds. While we continue to enjoy all the world has to offer us, we all must realize that we need to make conscious choices so that this beautiful world is the same for many generations to come. All of us here at Artfully Elegant are devoted to that goal and we hope that our clients are as well.

Since we started carrying her work last March, Kathy Bransfield has become one of our most popular artists. Her hand-stamped necklaces with inspirational, funny, or poignant messages are extremely versatile. With over 40 options to choose from on Artfully Elegant, you’re bound to find the one that speaks to you. Every employee of the gallery owns one of these, as well as many of our friends and family. They make great gifts, whether it’s a birthday, Mother’s Day, or just a thinking-of-you gift. My current favorites are the Olive Branch in gold and sterling silver and the mixed metal Gandhi Ivy. Each of Kathy’s necklaces features 2 parts: a covering in a unique design that then lies on top of the hand-stamped sterling silver piece. The coverings are either sterling silver with a patina or gold-plated solid bronze. Kathy has introduced some new solid designs, like the Tolkien Compass or the very popular You Are Loved. These designs are solid sterling silver with a design on the front and the inscription on the back. Whichever look you decide on, it’s sure to draw many compliments.

Laurel Smith is the artist behind one of our newest lines of jewelry, Laurel Denise. Each piece features her delicate script handwriting with simple words like love, laugh, dream, inspire, or longer quotations like “i believe in belief, in the stars in the sky, in the sun on the grass, in the shine of your eyes, in the dreams of your heart” inscribed on opaque glass in solid circles or open loops. We’ll also be carrying some of her newest line on solid sterling silver and gold vermeil. These small necklaces are perfect for layering with other pieces, or combining a few for a unique look. Laurel grew up in Virginia, and after a brief sojourn in New York City, has returned to her roots in Charlottesville, VA. Most pieces retail for under $60, so these are affordable, handmade treasures available to all.

All of us here at Artfully Elegant are proud to announce the addition of Yasuko Azuma to our collection of bridal jewelry. Yasuko’s designs are delicate rings in 18k yellow gold. Featuring euro cut white diamonds, Yasuko’s designs add a depth to our collection of wedding jewelry that we are extremely proud of. Many times women are looking for the traditional white diamond, but they would still like something a little different, something that sets them apart from the crowd. Yasuko’s designs fill that niche. Some are rosecut diamonds with thin, hammered gold bands, while others like the leaf ring and band, have delicate cutouts of leaf shapes, along with a beautiful 4mm white diamond. Yasuko Azuma’s designs are perfect when you’re looking to think outside the box of traditional wedding jewelry, but not too far. Yasuko grew up in Japan, but came to New York City in 1994 to pursue her dreams of jewelry and fashion at the Fashion Institute of Technology. Yasuko launched her first line in 2003, after mastering her signature style of hand piercing the metals and the “diamond dust” texture. Her current line is, as she puts it “elegantly feminine and intricately designed,” but still appeals to all women.